Box Office: FINDING DORY sets animated opening record with $136m

Disney•Pixar‘s Finding Dory debuted #1 at the domestic box office this weekend with an estimated $136.2 million from 4,305 theaters, an average of $31,634 per theater. The film marks the biggest animated opening of all-time, surpassing Shrek the Third‘s ($121.6 million), and stands as the second-largest June opening of all-time, trailing only Jurassic World‘s $208.8 million debut last year.

In addition to the biggest animation opening weekend of all time, Finding Dory also had the biggest opening day for an animated film on Friday taking in over $54.95 million as well as the biggest Thursday previews of all time. The film, which received an A CinemaScore from audiences, also surpassed Toy Story 3’s $110.3 million to become the biggest Disney/Pixar opening film. IMAX’s global box office for Finding Dory $6.4 million from 344 screens, with $5 million of that total coming from 211 U.S. IMAX screens.

Finding Dory debuted with $50 million internationally for a global total of $186.2 million as it opened in 32% of the international marketplace. Finding Dory marks Pixar’s biggest opening ever in China ($17.5 million) and the biggest Disney/Pixar opening weekend ever in Australia ($7.6 million). The film will continue its international rollout in France and Spain next weekend before expanding across the globe throughout the summer and fall.

Finding Dory features returning favorites Marlin, Nemo and the Tank Gang. Set in part along the California coastline, the story also welcomes a host of new characters, including a few who will prove to be a very important part of Dory’s life, such as her parents. Findng Nemo helmer Andrew Stanton returned to the directors chair for the animated film, which features the voices of Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Ed O’Neill, Kaitlin Olson, Ty Burrell, Michael Sheen, Eugene Levy and Diane Keaton.

Warner Bros. Pictures and Universal Pictures‘ Central Intelligence, starring Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart, debuted in second place with $34.5 million from 3,508 theaters, for an average of $9,835 per location. Receiving an A- CinemaScore, the Rawson Marshall Thurber-directed action comedy also brought in $6.8 million overseas for a global weekend of $41.3 million. The film cost about $50 million to make before marketing expenses.

James Wan’s The Conjuring 2 dropped to the third spot with $15.6 million its second weekend for a total of $71.7 million. Internationally, The Conjuring 2 added $41.9 million and has earned $116.2 million. The $40 million-budgeted film, again starring Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson, has now grossed $187.9 million worldwide.

The Lionsgate sequel Now You See Me 2 added $9.6 million its second weekend in fourth place for a total of $41.4 million. Now You See Me 2, which cost about $90 million, stars Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Daniel Radcliffe, Lizzy Caplan, Jay Chou, Sanaa Lathan, David Washofsky, Tsai Chin, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman.

In fifth place, Legendary Pictures and Universal Pictures‘ Warcraft dropped 73% in ticket sales its second weekend at the domestic box office with $6.5 million. Made for $160 million, the Duncan Jones-directed video game adaptation has earned $37.7 million in North America. Internationally, Warcraft has earned $339.9 million for a global total of $377.6 million. $205 million of that international total is from China alone! The film stars Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster, Dominic Cooper, Toby Kebbell, Ben Schnetzer, Rob Kazinsky and Daniel Wu.

Dropping to seventh place was Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies’ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, which brought in $5.2 million its third weekend for a total of $71.9 million so far. Made for $135 million, the sequel stars Alan Ritchson, Jeremy Howard, Pete Ploszek, Noel Fisher, Megan Fox, Will Arnett, William Fichtner, Tyler Perry, Sheamus, Gary Anthony Williams, Brittany Ishibashi, Stephen Amell, and Brian Tee.

The Warner Bros. drama Me Before You added $4.2 million its third weekend for a total of $46.4 million. Made for $20 million, the adaptation of the Jojo Moyes novel stars Sam Claflin, Emilia Clarke, Charles Dance, Jenna Coleman, Matthew Lewis, Vanessa Kirby, Stephen Peacocke, Brendan Coyle and Janet McTeer. Internationally, the film has earned $36 million for a global total of $82.4 million.

Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Civil War also surpassed the $400 million mark at the domestic box office on Saturday, making it the 23rd film to cross that mark. Disney has released 9 of the 23 films to have earned more than $400 million domestically, and Captain America: Civil War ranks as the fourth-highest grossing film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe following The Avengers ($623 million), Avengers: Age of Ultron ($459 million) and Iron Man 3 ($409 million). The film has earned $743.6 million overseas to take its worldwide total to $1.144 billion. Captain America: Civil War stands as the 12th highest-grossing movie of all-time. Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, the film cost $250 million to make.